ANCIENT IGALA NUMERAL SYSTEM

Posted by John Jibo Idakwoji  at September 23rd, 2015

(Ẹ́ñwu Égbálukà Alu Igáláà)
The ancient Igala numeral system came into force with increased volume of trade involving counting of ancient monies. Like in the metric system, it involved units, tens and hundreds, beginning with a single unit, ‘òké.’ Cardinal numbers (or cardinals) are numbers denoting quantity (as in one/two/three or four goats or sheep). Ordinal numbers (or ordinals) are numbers showing order or sequence of occurrence, like 1st, 2nd, 3rd 4th, 6th, etc. As a cardinal, ‘òké’ (single unit) indicates quantity, ranging from one (1) to nine (9), as in ‘òké káà’ (one unit), òké méjì (two units) òké méṭ a (three units), etc. The cardinal, òké káà, is reduced to ‘òókáà,’ while ‘òké méjì’ is shortened to ‘èjì’ and òké méṭ a to ‘èṭ a,’ up to ‘èḷ á’ (nine), as shown below. The counting activity, which involves the use of Ordinals, starts with ‘ényé,̣’ (one), which is the equivalent of ‘òókáà.’ It then continues with ‘èjì,’ (two), èṭ a (three), ẹlẹ (four), èḷ ú (five) up to ‘èḷ á’ (nine). ‘Ẹ̀gwá’ (ten) indicates the end of the first group of ‘one to 10 units.
CARDINALS ORDINALS
Units of one (1) to nine (9)
ényé ̣ (one) 1 òókáà (éjódùdu) 1st
èjì (two) 2 èḳ éjì (second) 2nd
èṭ a (three) 3 èḳ éṭ a (third) 3rd
èḷ è ̣ (four) 4 èḳ éḷ è ̣ (fourth) 4th
èḷ ú (five) 5 èḳ éḷ ū (fifth) 5th
èf̣ à (six) 6 èḳ éf̣ à (sixth) 6th
èbie (seven) 7 èḳ ébie (seventh) 7th
è j̣ ọ (eight) 8 èḳ é j̣ ọ (eighth) 8th
èḷ á (nine) 9 èḳ éḷ ā (ninth) 9th
èg̣ wá (ten) 10 èḳ ég̣ wā (tenth) 10th
Numbers Eleven (11) to twenty (20)
èg̣ wákáà (eleven) 11 èḳ ég̣ wākáà (eleventh) 11th
èg̣ wéjì (twelve) 12 èḳ ég̣ wéjì (twelfth) 12th
èg̣ wéṭ a (thirteen) 13 èḳ ég̣ wēṭ a (thirteenth) 13th
èg̣ wéḷ è ̣ (fourteen) 14 èḳ ég̣ wēḷ è ̣ (fourteenth) 14th
èg̣ wéḷ ū (fifteen) 15 èḳ ég̣ wēḷu (fifteenth) 15th
èg̣ wéf̣ à (sixteen) 16 èḳ ég̣ wē ̣ fà (sixteenth) 16th
èg̣ wébie (seventeen) 17 èḳ ég̣ w ē bie (seventeenth) 17th
èg̣ wé j̣ ọ (eighteen) 18 èḳ ég̣ wē ̣ jọ (eighteenth) 18th
èg̣ wéḷ ā (nineteen) 19 èḳ ég̣ wē ̣ l a (nineteenth) 19th
ógwú (twenty) 20 èḳ óogwú (twentieth) 20th
Numbers twenty-one (21) to thirty (30)
In counting numbers between twenty and thirty or between thirty and forty and so on, the phrase, ‘nyí ókē’ or ‘nyí éỵ ó’̣ (plus units of) are used. However, the letter, ‘i’ is usually elided and it now appears as ‘ny’ókē’ or ‘ny’é ỵ ó.̣’ E.g. ‘ógwú ny’ókē méjì,’ could also be called ‘ógwú ny’é ̣yọ́ méjì.’ It is, therefore, a matter of choice, as some people are used to ‘ny’ókē’ while others prefer to use ‘ny’é ̣yọ́’ while counting.
ógwú ny’ókē kāà 21 èḳ óogwú ny’ókē kāà 21st
ógwú ny’ókē mēj̀ì 22 èḳ óogwú ny’ókē méj̀ì 22nd
ógwú ny’ókē mēṭ a 23 èḳ óogwú ny’ókē méṭ a 23rd
ógwú ny’ókē méḷ è ̣ 24 èḳ óogwú ny’ókē méḷ è ̣ 24th
ógwú ny’ókē mēḷu 25 èḳ óogwú ny’ókē méḷ ū 225th
ógwú ny’ókē mēf̣ à 26 èḳ óogwú ny’ókē méf̣ a 26th
ógwú ny’ókē mēbie 27 èḳ óogwú ny’ókē mēbie 27th
ógwú ny’ókē mē j̣ ọ 28 èḳ óogwú ny’ókē mé j̣ ọ 28th
ógwú ny’ókē mēḷ a 29 èḳ óogwú ny’ókē méḷ ā 29th
ógwég̣ wā 30 èḳ óogwég̣ wā 30th
The number, ‘ógwég̣ wā’ means ‘ógwú + èg̣ wá’ (20+10).
ógwég̣ wā ny’ókē kāà 31 èḳ óogwég̣ wā ny’ókē kāà 31st
ógwég̣ wā ny’ókē mēj̀ì 32 èḳ óogwég̣ wā ny’ókē méj̀ì 32nd
ógwég̣ wā ny’ókē mēṭ a 33 èḳ óogwég̣ wā ny’ókē méṭ a 33rd
ógwég̣ wā ny’ókē méḷ è ̣ 34 èḳ óogwég̣ wā ny’ókē méḷ è ̣ 34th
ógwég̣ wā ny’ókē mēḷu 35 èḳ óogwég̣ wā ny’ókē méḷ ū 35th
ógwég̣ wā ny’ókē mēf̣ à 36 èḳ óogwég̣ wā ny’ókē méf̣ a 36th
ógwég̣ wā ny’ókē mēbie 37 èḳ óogwég̣ wā ny’ókē mēbie 37th
ógwég̣ wā ny’ókē mē j̣ ọ 38 èḳ óogwég̣ wā ny’ókē mé j̣ ọ 38th
ógwég̣ wā ny’ókē mēḷ a 39 èḳ óogwég̣ wā ny’ókē méḷ ā 39th
òg̣ bòṃ éjì 40 èḳ óg̣ bòṃ éjì 4
òg̣ bòṃ éjì 40 èḳ óg̣ bòṃ éjì 40th
The term, ‘ọ̀gbò’̣ comes from ‘ọ̀gbọ̀lò’̣ meaning ‘twenty.’ Ọ̀ gbọ̀méjì, therefore, is the short form of ọ̀gbọ̀lọ̀ méjì (two twenties or 20 x 2).
òg̣ bòṃ éjì ny’ókē kāà 41 èḳ óg̣ bòṃ éjì ny’ókē kāà 41st
òg̣ bòṃ éjì ny’ókē mēj̀ì 42 èḳ óg̣ bòṃ éjì ny’ókē méj̀ì 42nd
òg̣ bòṃ éjì ny’ókē mēṭ a 43 èḳ óg̣ bòṃ éjì ny’ókē méṭ a 43rd
òg̣ bòṃ éjì ny’ókē méḷ è ̣ 44 èḳ óg̣ bòṃ éjì ny’ókē méḷ è ̣ 44th
òg̣ bòṃ éjì ny’ókē mēḷu 45 èḳ óg̣ bòṃ éjì ny’ókē méḷ ū 45th
òg̣ bòṃ éjì ny’ókē mēf̣ à 46 èḳ óg̣ bòṃ éjì ny’ókē méf̣ a 46th
òg̣ bòṃ éjì ny’ókē mēbie 47 èḳ óg̣ bòṃ éjì ny’ókē mēbie 47th
òg̣ bòṃ éjì ny’ókē mē j̣ ọ 48 èḳ óg̣ bòṃ éjì ny’ókē mé j̣ ọ 48th
òg̣ bòṃ éjì ny’ókē mēḷ a 49 èḳ óg̣ bòṃ éjì ny’ókē méḷ ā 49th
óóje èḳ óoóje 50th
The golden nomenclature, ‘óóje’ (50) is also called ólí káà (literally translated as ‘one stick’), which is rarely used, as the former is preferred. By extension, ólí méjì = 100 ; ólíméṭ a = 150 ;
Ólíméḷ ū = 250 ; ólí mé ̣fà= 300. One distinctive feature about the use of ‘ólí’ is that it groups numbers in fifties and is most convenient in the construction of higher numbers using ‘50’ as the baseline. It should, however, be noted that the addition of initial 9 figures and the infix, ‘nyókē’ is a recurring behaviour that runs through the entire gamut of the Igala counting system. Numbers increasing by Above 100
òg̣ bòṃ éṭ a (60) (Derived from ‘òg̣ bòḷ ò ̣ méṭ a (20 x3)
èṭ a-èg̣ wá (70) (Derived from òg̣ bòṃ éṭ a + èg̣ wá (60+10)
òg̣ bòṃ éḷ è ̣ (80) (Derived from ‘òg̣ bòḷ ò ̣ méḷ è ̣ (20 x4)
èḷ è-̣ èg̣ wa (90) (Derived from òg̣ bòṃ éḷ è ̣ + èg̣ wá (80+10)
òg̣ bòṃ éḷ ū (100) or ógwúméḷ ū (20 x 5) or ólí méjì (which is hardly ever used).
òg̣ bòṃ éf̣ a (160)
òg̣ bòṃ éf̣ a ny’ókē mēf̣ à (166)
òg̣ bòṃ éf̣ a ny’ókē mēg̣ wa (130)
òg̣ bòṃ ébie (140)
ólíméṭ a (150) is preferred to ‘ọ̀gbọ̀mébie ny’éỵ ọ́ még̣ wā,’ which is a mouthful.
òg̣ bòṃ é j̣ ọ (160)
òg̣ bòṃ é j̣ ọ ny’ókē még̣ wā (170)
òg̣ bòṃ éḷ ā (180)
òg̣ bòṃ éḷ ā ny’ókē még̣ wā (190)
òg̣ wóḳ ó ̣ (200) or ólíméḷ è,̣ which is rarely used.
ólíméḷ ū (250)
ólíméḷ ū ny’ógwég̣ wā (280)
ólíméḷ ū ny’éḷ è-̣ èg̣ wá (i.e. 250 + 90 = 340)
ólíméf̣ à (300)
èḷ ú chi ólíméf̣ à (295) (Literally. 5 units removed from 300).
ólímébie (350)
úlú-ọkó ̣ or ólímé ̣jọ (400)
ólíméḷ ā (450)
ólímég̣ wā (500)
ólímég̣ wā káà (550)
ólímég̣ wējì (600) or òg̣ wóḳ ó-̣ chí-ichámúù (Lit.) ọ̀gwọ́kọ́ chí kwéfù ichámúù.
(i.e. 800 – 200). (See íchámúù below).
ólímég̣ wēṭ a (650)
ólímég̣ wēḷ è ̣ (700) or ógwúméḷ ū chī ichámúù (i.e. 800-100).
íchámúù (800)
íchámú ny’óóje or ólímég̣ wēbie (850)
íchámú ny’ógwúméḷ ū (900)
àdò òókáà or íchámú ny’ōg̣ wọkọ (1000)
àdò óká ny’óóje (1,050)
àdò óká ny’ógwúméḷ ū/ólíméjì (1,100)
àdò óká ny’ólíméṭ a (1,150)
àdò óká ny’ōg̣ wọ k ọ (1,200)
àdò óká ny’ólíméḷ ū (1,250)
àdò óká ny’ólíméf̣ à (1,300)
àdò óká ny’ólímébie (1,350)
àdò óká ny’ulu-ọkó ̣ (1,400)
àdò óká ny’ólíméḷ ā (1,450)
àdò óká ny’ólímég̣ wā (1,500)
àdò óká ny’ólímég̣ wākāà (1,550)
íchámú méjì (1,600)
íchámú méjì ny’óóje (1,650)
íchámú méjì ny’ógwúméḷ ū/ólíméjì (1,700)
íchámú méjì ny’ óg̣ wọkọ (1,800)
óg̣ bā or àdò méjì (2,000)
óg̣ bā ny’óg̣ wọkọ (2,200)
óg̣ bā ny’ólíméḷ ū (2,250)
àdò méṭ a or óg̣ bā ny’ógwúméḷ ū/ólíméjì (3,000)
àdò méṭ a ny’ólímég̣ wā (3,500)
àdò méḷ è ̣ or óg̣ bā meji (4.000)
àdò méḷ ū or óg̣ bā méjì ny’ógwúméḷ ū (5,000)
àdò méf̣ à or óg̣ bā méṭ a (6,000)
àdò mébie (7,000)
àdò mé j̣ ọ or óg̣ bā méḷ è ̣ (8,000)
àdò méḷ ā or óg̣ bā méḷ è ̣ ny’ógwúméḷ ū (9,000)
àdò még̣ wā or óg̣ bā méḷ ū (10,000)
àdò még̣ wēḷu (15,000)
àdò ogwú (20,000)
àdò oóje (50,000)
àdò ogwúméḷ u/òg̣ bòṃ éḷ ū (100,000)
àdò olímég̣ wā (500,000)
àdò ólímég̣ wējì (600,000)
àdò ólímég̣ welè ̣ or àdò ogwúméḷ ū chi ichámúù) (700,000)
àdò íchámúù (800,000)
àdò íchámú ny’ólímég̣ wā (850,000)
àdò íchámú ny’ógwúméḷ ū (900,000)
odulugwu or àdò ugbo àdò ((1,000,000) (1million)
(Also àdò ichámú ny’ōg̣ wọkọ ugbo ichámú ny’ōg̣ wọkọ).
òdulugu méjì (2,000,000)
òdulugu méjì ny’ólímég̣ wā (2,500,000)
òdulugu ugbo òdulugu (1,000,000,000) (1 billion)
òdulugu ugbo òdulugu még̣ wā (10billion)
òdulugu ugbo òdulugu ogwég̣ wā (30billion)
òdulugu ugbo òdulugu ichamuu (800billion)
òdulugu ugbo òdulugu ichamu ny’óg̣ wọkọ (1 trillion)